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Partnership Issues Call for Flexible Border Crossing ID Requirements

The Partnership has joined the Detroit Regional Chamber and the Bellingham/Whatcom (WA) Chamber in pushing the federal government for flexible US-Canada border crossing identification requirements.

The three organizations issued a joint letter to fellow business organizations adjacent to the international border on June 1, seeking to expand the passport-only ID option currently under consideration in Washington, DC.

The text of the letter and an accompanying chart of border crossing data are below:

Our organizations represent employers in three border states that conduct over $60 billion in annual bilateral trade with Canada.  Thus, we are seeking your assistance on an issue that, also, will have a major effect on your community as well as on hundreds of communities, like ours, along the Canadian/U.S. border.

We are writing to you as the leader of an organization representing the interests of your employer community, because your community and state have been identified as being a destination for Canadian visitors.

By law, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must require all individuals entering the U.S., including Canadians, Mexicans and Americans, to show appropriate identification, whether a passport or other combination of documents.  The law requires implementation of regulations starting in 2007 with full implementation by 2008. There is substantial concern that a passport-only requirement would severely reduce visitations by Canadians to our country.

To ensure security at the northern and southern U.S. borders, we request that you press your area’s congressional delegation to urge DHS to develop a more flexible, less expensive and less draconian solution than the passport-only option.

Canadian visitation to the U.S. is far greater than that from any other foreign nation. There were 34.5 million visits by Canadians to the U.S. in 2003 that had a $10.9 billion impact our national economy. The attachment indicates the number of visits and U.S. dollars spent by Canadians in your state and other states that do not border on Canada, but for which there is a significant economic impact from Canadian visitation. Complete data on the state’s trading relationship with Canada can be found at www.canadianembassy.org/statetrade/index-en.asp.

Fewer than 40% of Canadians hold passports, and of that number, very few are children. Thus, communities that cater to family vacationers face the prospect of losing a substantial part of their market.  Many older Canadians own, rent or lease residences in the U.S. for extended periods of time. While it is possible they would comply with a passport entry requirement, visits to them by vacationing younger relatives would very likely be eliminated.

DHS has hinted strongly that it is leaning towards a policy that would require passports of all foreign nationals entering the U.S.  This approach comes without formal consultation with the tourism industry or any other businesses that would be affected. It is imperative that DHS reach out to all sectors affected by any change at the border and work with them to find solutions that facilitate trade and travel without jeopardizing national security. These solutions will require flexibility and may well require different identification systems for different types of visitors. Without substantial and formalized input from affected businesses we fear DHS will seek another “one size fits all” approach to this need.

With the passage of new requirements for identification for issuance of a driver’s license, this form of identification will quickly become both more secure and more standardized across the nation. We specifically ask that you suggest to your congressional delegation that the Bush Administration allow at least three types of identification to be used for those entering the U.S. from Canada:

1) a driver’s license with birth certificate,
2) a passport
3) a Nexus or FAST card

To summarize, this issue has impacts extending well beyond border communities. Action by employer organizations in communities across the United Sates will reinforce the importance of this issue with Congress and DHS. Thus, we hope you will carry this message to your congressional delegation—that DHS must not deal with border security using a “one-size fits all” approach.

If you have any questions or want to know how you can pursue this issue further, please feel free to contact us or the personnel identified below, who are leading the effort for our organizations:

Luke Rich Sr. Advisor Buffalo Niagara Partnership 716-852-3762 ext. 360 lrich@thepartnership.org

Lisa Katz Director, Public Affairs Detroit Regional Chamber 313-596-0460 lkatz@detroitchamber.com

Ken Oplinger President/CEO Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber 360-734-1330 ken@bellingham.com

Thank you in advance for your strong support on this important matter.

Sincerely,

Andrew Rudnick President/CEO Buffalo Niagara Partnership

Richard E. Blouse, Jr. President/CEO Detroit Regional Chamber

Ken Oplinger President/CEO Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber

(Attachment)

Economic Impact of Canadian Visitation by Select U.S. State.